Infectious Diseases News Alerts

• Alert FDA OKs Triclabendazole for Tropical Disease Fascioliasis Fascioliasis (liver fluke infestation) is a waterborne and foodborne neglected tropical disease affecting an estimated 2.4 million people worldwide, with an additional 180 million at risk.
  FDA Approvals, February 2019
• Alert FDA OKs First Targeted Therapy for Rare Blood Clotting Disorder Caplacizumab (Cablivi) injection is indicated in combination with plasma exchange and immunosuppressive therapy for adults with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP).
  FDA Approvals, February 2019
• Alert Abuse-Deterrent OxyContin Tied to Spike in Hepatitis C The introduction of abuse-deterrent OxyContin may be a factor in the sharp rise in hepatitis C infections in the United States because drug abusers switched to injectable heroin, research suggests.
  News Alerts, February 2019
• Alert FDA Clears First Diagnostic Test for Mycoplasma genitalium The Aptima nucleic acid amplification test detects Mycoplasma genitalium in urine, urethral, penile meatal, endocervical, and vaginal swab samples collected in a clinical setting.
  News Alerts, January 2019
• Alert Sanofi's Pediatric Hexavalent Vaccine Approved by U.S. FDA The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Sanofi's new pediatric vaccine immunizing children against six diseases, the French pharmaceutical lab said on Wednesday.
  Reuters Health Information, December 2018
• Alert Serious Infections From Unapproved Stem-Cell Treatments Identified in Multiple States Unapproved use of stem cells caused bloodstream and joint infections.
  News Alerts, December 2018
• Alert FDA Warns Genetech Over Unapproved Stem-Cell Products Twelve patients who received Genetech's unapproved products subsequently became ill from blood infections and other infections caused by a number of bacteria, including E coli.
  News Alerts, December 2018
• Alert EU Panel Recommends Tobramycin PARI for Pseudomonas in CF The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use recommended Tobramycin PARI for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients aged 6 years and older with cystic fibrosis.
  International Approvals, December 2018
• Alert Higher Than Expected Contamination Rates Found With Duodenoscopes After Reprocessing, FDA Warns Findings from a 'human factors' study indicate that reprocessing instructions for duodenoscopes in current user manuals are hard for staff to follow.
  News Alerts, December 2018
• Alert Medical Specialties Match Hits Another New High This Year The 2018 medical specialties match set record highs in number of applicants, programs, positions, and positions filled for 2019.
  Medscape Medical News, December 2018
• Alert EC Clears Two New HIV Drugs (Pifeltro and Delstrigo) Pifeltro contains doravirine, a new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and Delstrigo is a fixed-dose combination of doravirine, lamivudine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
  International Approvals, November 2018
• Alert ER Doctor, Pharmacist Among Dead in Chicago Hospital Shooting Doctors unite in mourning on Twitter and vent at the NRA, using #ThisIsOurLane.
  Medscape Medical News, November 2018
• Alert FDA Approves New Drug for Traveler's Diarrhea (Aemcolo) Aemcolo (rifamycin) is indicated to treat adults with travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of E. coli and not complicated by fever or blood in the stool.
  FDA Approvals, November 2018
• Alert EMA Curtails Use of Fluoroquinolone, Quinolone Antibiotics The occurrence of disabling and potentially permanent side effects associated with quinolone and fluoroquinolone antibiotics has led the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to restrict or suspend their use.
  News Alerts, November 2018
• Alert EMA Panel Backs First Oral-Only Drug for Deadly Disease Fexinidazole is for the treatment of human African trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in adults and children aged 6 years and older.
  International Approvals, November 2018
• Alert FDA Clears First Ebola Fingerstick Test With Portable Reader The DPP Ebola Antigen System is the second Ebola rapid antigen fingerstick test granted emergency use authorization and the first that uses a portable battery-operated reader.
  FDA Approvals, November 2018
• Alert Medicare Plans to Phase in Changes for Office-Visit Payments CMS delays the start of a controversial E&M payment change but remains committed to collapsing what's now a five-level coding system.
  Medscape Medical News, November 2018
• Alert CDC Panel Backs Routine Hepatitis A Shots for Homeless ACIP seeks to address outbreaks of the liver-damaging infection in the United States. The panel also tweaked the adult, child, and teen vaccination schedules.
  News Alerts, October 2018
• Alert Cell-Based Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine Recommended by EMA Panel The EMA CHMP has recommended granting marketing authorization for Flucelvax Tetra (Seqirus Netherlands BV), a quadrivalent cell-based influenza vaccine.
  International Approvals, October 2018
• Alert EU Panel Recommends Marketing Authorization for Dengue Vaccine The EMA CHMP has recommended marketing authorization for a dengue tetravalent vaccine against dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4.
  International Approvals, October 2018